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Back The Copycat Save as PDF
Chapters (68)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Chapter One
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Chapter Two
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Chapter Three
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Chapter Four
  19. Twelve
  20. Thirteen
  21. Fourteen
  22. Chapter Five
  23. Fifteen
  24. Sixteen
  25. Chapter Six
  26. Seventeen
  27. Eighteen
  28. Nineteen
  29. Chapter Seven
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Chapter Eight
  34. Twenty-Three
  35. Twenty-Four
  36. Twenty-Five
  37. Chapter Nine
  38. Twenty-Six
  39. Twenty-Seven
  40. Chapter Ten
  41. Twenty-Eight
  42. Twenty-Nine
  43. Thirty
  44. Thirty-One
  45. Chapter Eleven
  46. Thirty-Two
  47. Thirty-Three
  48. Thirty-Four
  49. Thirty-Five
  50. Chapter Twelve
  51. Thirty-Six
  52. Thirty-Seven
  53. Thirty-Eight
  54. Chapter Thirteen
  55. Thirty-Nine
  56. Forty
  57. Forty-One
  58. Forty-Two
  59. Chapter Fourteen
  60. Forty-Three
  61. Forty-Four
  62. Forty-Five
  63. Forty-Six
  64. Forty-Seven
  65. Chapter Fifteen
  66. The Following Summer
  67. About the Author
  68. About the Publisher

Ms. Ryder chuckled. “I know the first time you debate can be intimidating, so you can watch a couple of old pros first. Ashok—before you begin, what’s the most important thing a debater needs to do during a debate?”

“Listen to your opponent. It’s impossible to win if you don’t listen.”

Ashok and Carolyn’s debate was impressive. The resolution was: “Be it resolved that the sky is blue.” Ali knew Ashok would win when Ms. Ryder said he’d argue for the resolution, because the sky was blue, wasn’t it? But Carolyn was a formidable opponent, and the two went back and forth, trading arguments like two boxers exchanging jabs in the ring. In the end, Carolyn won the day with her points about sunrises, sunsets, and the color of the sky during volcanic eruptions and forest fires. When they finished, everyone applauded.

“Who’s next?” Ms. Ryder asked. Ali sank down in her chair.

ALI’S RULES FOR WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE FORCED TO DO SOMETHING YOU HATE

  1. Breathe.
  2. Try to escape.
  3. If you can’t escape? Try to survive.
  4. I got nothing. Why are you doing something you hate?

Alfie hopped up. “Want to give it a go, Murray?”

Cassie bit her lip. Was she nervous too?

“Here’s your resolution, boys,” Ms. Ryder read from a card. “‘Be it resolved that Princess Elizabeth School shouldn’t open until ten a.m. so students can sleep in.’”

Alfie and Murray pounded fists.

“Like taking candy from a baby,” said Murray.

“This baby bites,” Alfie replied.

Ms. Ryder shook her head. “You two! Okay, you’ve got two minutes to prepare.”

“I guess we’re next,” Cassie whispered to Ali, who swallowed hard.

There was a swagger about Murray when he began. “Sure, it would be nice for kids not to go to school until ten a.m., but that’s not how the real world works. School is supposed to prepare us for life. Most jobs begin between eight and nine o’clock in the morning.”

Alfie was equally self-assured. “Actually, your argument is flawed. Lots of people do shift work.” He ignored Murray’s scowl and continued. “In fact, my mother teaches three nights a week at the university. Research studies show teenagers are biologically wired to stay up late and sleep in. Starting school at ten a.m. means they’d be alert and ready to learn.”

Murray refused to be bested. “Point taken, but what about their teachers? My dad teaches at Saint John High. He goes to bed at nine thirty and gets up at five. If school ran from ten to five, our teachers would be exhausted by early afternoon.”